Description
In a series of deeply personal essays, Mester explores how the things we buy, eat, amass, and discard become an intimate part of our lives. We guiltily watch Amazon boxes pile up on the porch, wade through endless reviews to find the perfect product, and crave the comforting indulgence of a chain restaurant. With humor and sharp intellect, Mester reflects on the joys and anxieties of Costco trips, how a seasonal stint at Ulta Beauty taught her the insidious art of the sale, and what it means to get "mall sad." In a nuanced examination of diet culture and fatness, Mester recounts her teenage summer at fat camp and the unexpected liberation she finds there. Finally, she ventures to Storm Lake, Iowa, to reckon with her grandmother's abandoned hoard, excavating the dysfunction that lies at the heart of her family's obsession with stuff. American Bulk introduces readers to a striking new literary talent from the American heartland, one who dares to ask us to regard consumption not with guilt but with grace and empathy.
Author: Emily Mester
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 11/26/2024
Pages: 240
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 0.80d
ISBN13: 9781324035237
ISBN10: 1324035234
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Essays
- Biography & Autobiography | Memoirs
- Business & Economics | Consumer Behavior | General